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The Legislature approved $230 million in tax increases. Among them: A partial food tax. The bill has been sent to Gov. Bill Richardson for signature. Think New Mexico is asking people to tell the guv to veto the food tax portion of the measure.

Please join us by e-mailing Governor Richardson or calling his office at (505) 476-2200 and asking him to veto the food tax. Remind him that there are far more sensible alternatives to addressing the budget deficit than reimposing the food tax. If he does not veto it, New Mexico families living paycheck to paycheck will again begin paying tax on their groceries starting July 1, 2010.

It would be crazy not to vote for this tax. The money from this tax goes directly to road maintenance, public transit, trails and bike paths. And we’re talking about 25 cents for every $100 spent. It’s been in place since 2000 and is set to expire at the end of this year. And just to set citizens’ minds further at ease, this gem of a sentence was added: “No portion of the revenue generated by the transportation infrastructure gross receipts tax shall be used to build or operate any rail transportation system until such a system is approved at a separate election by the voters.” Got it? No light-rail. No modern streetcar. No trolley. Well, they won’t be funded by this tax, anyway—not unless in some future election you call for them.